Maldives

• tropical;
• hot, humid;
• dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);
• rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

highest point:

8th tee, golf course, Villingi Island 5 m

lowest point:

Indian Ocean 0 m

mean elevation:

2 m

• about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City;
• the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago

• smallest Asian country;
• archipelago of 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts);
• strategic location along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

noun:

Maldivian(s)

adjective:

Maldivian

total:

32.4 years (2025 est.)

male:

31.3 years

female:

32.4 years

• about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City;
• the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.77 male(s)/female

total population:

1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

23.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

27.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

21.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

77.4 years (2024 est.)

male:

75.1 years

female:

79.9 years

total:

1.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

28% (2025 est.)

male:

41.5% (2025 est.)

female:

9.2% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

0% (2017)

women married by age 18:

2.2% (2017)

men married by age 18:

2.2% (2017)

• rising sea levels;
• depletion of freshwater aquifers;
• inadequate sewage treatment;
• coral reef bleaching

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

• tropical;
• hot, humid;
• dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);
• rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

urban population:

42% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

2.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

211,500 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

20.9% (2022 est.)

municipal:

5.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

300,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

268,194 cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Maldives

conventional short form:

Maldives

local long form:

Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

local short form:

Dhivehi Raajje

etymology:

the origin of the name is obscure but may derive from the Sanskrit word maladvipa , meaning "garland of islands;" the local name, Dhivehi Raajje, means "land of the Dhivehi people" in the local language

name:

Malé

geographic coordinates:

4 10 N, 73 30 E

time difference:

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

the name may come from the Sanskrit word mala , or "garland"

21 administrative atolls ( atholhuthah , singular - atholhu ); Addu (Addu City), Ariatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Ari Atoll), Ariatholhu Uthuruburi (North Ari Atoll), Faadhippolhu, Felidhuatholhu (Felidhu Atoll), Fuvammulah, Hahdhunmathi, Huvadhuatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Huvadhu Atoll), Huvadhuatholhu Uthuruburi (North Huvadhu Atoll), Kolhumadulu, Maale (Male), Maaleatholhu (Male Atoll), Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Maalhosmadulu), Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi (North Maalhosmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Miladhunmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi (North Miladhunmadulu), Mulakatholhu (Mulaku Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Nilandhe Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Uthuruburi (North Nilandhe Atoll), Thiladhunmathee Dhekunuburi (South Thiladhunmathi), Thiladhunmathee Uthuruburi (North Thiladhunmathi)

history:

many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008

amendment process:

• proposed by Parliament;
• passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by its membership and the signature of the president of the republic;
• passage of amendments to constitutional articles on rights and freedoms and the terms of office of Parliament and of the president also requires a majority vote in a referendum

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Maldives

dual citizenship recognized:

yes

residency requirement for naturalization:

unknown

chief of state:

President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023)

head of government:

President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023)

cabinet:

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by People's Majlis

election/appointment process:

president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)

most recent election date:

9 September 2023, with runoff on 30 September 2023

election results:

• 2023: Mohamed MUIZZU elected president in the second round;
• percent of vote in first round - Mohamed MUIZZU (PNC) 46.1%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 39.1%, Ilyas LABEEB (DEMS) 7.1%, other 7.7%;
• percent of vote in the second round - Mohamed MUIZZU 54%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH 46%

expected date of next election:

2028

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

legislature name:

People's Majlis (Majlis)

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

93 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

5 years

most recent election date:

4/21/2024

parties elected and seats per party:

• People's National Congress (PNC) (66);
• Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) (12);
• Independents (11);
• Other (4)

percentage of women in chamber:

3.2%

expected date of next election:

April 2029

highest court(s):

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices)

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court judges appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission -- a 10-member body of selected senior government officials and the public -- and on confirmation by voting members of the People's Majlis;
• judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70

subordinate courts:

• High Court;
• Criminal, Civil, Family, Juvenile, and Drug Courts;
• Magistrate Courts (on each of the inhabited islands)

• Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP
• Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP
• Maldives Development Alliance or MDA
• Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP
• Maldives Third Way Democrats or MTD
• People's National Congress or PNC
• People's National Front
• Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP

chief of mission:

Ambassador Abdul GHAFOOR Mohamed (since 15 June 2023)

chancery:

1100 H Street NW, Suite 250, Washington, D.C. 20005

telephone:

[1] (202) 516-5458

email address and website:

[email protected]; The Embassy (mdvmission.gov.mv)

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Chunnong SAEGER (since January 2026)

embassy:

• 210 Galle Road, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka;
• note - as of early November 2023, the US has no consular or diplomatic offices in Maldives;
• the US Mission to Maldives operates from US Embassy Colombo, Sri Lanka

telephone:

[94] (11) 249-8500

FAX:

[94] (11) 243-7345

email address and website:

Homepage - U.S. Embassy in Maldives

description:

red with a large green rectangle in the center and a vertical white crescent moon centered on the rectangle

meaning:

red stands for those who have sacrificed their lives to defend the country, green for peace and prosperity, and the white crescent is a symbol of Islam

title:

"Gaumee Salaam" (National Salute)

lyrics/music:

Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA

history:

lyrics adopted 1948, music adopted 1972; the anthem has seven verses, but only the first two are commonly used

• upper middle-income Indian Ocean island economy;
• major tourism, fishing, and shipping industries;
• high public debt;
• systemic corruption;
• crippled by COVID-19;
• ongoing deflation;
• poverty has tripled since pandemic began

agriculture:

3% (2024 est.)

industry:

9% (2024 est.)

services:

73.8% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

16.1% (2024 est.)

male:

20% (2024 est.)

female:

9.5% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

3.8% (2019 est.)

highest 10%:

23.3% (2019 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

• formerly a state-owned radio and TV monopoly;
• now 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned TV stations;
• 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned radio stations (2019)

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

1

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Male

• the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) is responsible for defending and safeguarding the Maldives' territorial integrity, economic exclusion zone, and people;
• it is also responsible for disaster relief, and if requested, assisting the Maldives Police Service in maintaining internal security and law and order;
• maritime security is its largest focus;
• the Indian Armed Forces have long been the MNDF's most important partner (2025)

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Maldives remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/maldives/